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This post first appeared on aud.life

When nonviolence is preached as an attempt to evade the repercussions of political brutality, it betrays itself. When nonviolence begins halfway through the war with the aggressor calling time out, it exposes itself as a ruse. When nonviolence is preached by the representatives of the state, while the state doles out heaps of violence to its citizens, it reveals itself to be a con. And none of this can mean that rioting or violence is "correct" or "wise," any more than a forest fire can be "correct" or "wise." Wisdom isn't the point tonight. Disrespect is. In this case, disrespect for the hollow law and failed order that so regularly disrespects the rioters themselves. -- Ta-Nehisi Coates

There's a strange time-shift that happens when you're abroad. You tune in to "the news" at different hours than usual. When you're paying attention, the folks at home are sleeping. When they're waking up, you're winding down.

Baltimore is one of my least favorite US cities, for reasons that David Simon doesn't come close to adequately explaining, although I've heard so many folks say he does. I lived there for only two years, mind you and I was only 18. But I'd never seen such police brutality. I'd never seen such starkly racist practices, institutionalized in where and how people lived.

What's happening in Baltimore right now isn't new; its roots are old; but it's time is now. There is movement... or it feels that way.

I'm in Barcelona for the next week, and I'm strongly considering moving here... for lots of reasons, least of which being my utter disgust with the US and the stories it tells itself about law and order and compliance and justice.

Audrey Watters


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Audrey Watters

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